Thanks - I did finally take a picture today - the bed has just been planted, and so looks sort of bare. The mystery rose I talked about is the tiny one just to the right of the pot with flowers. Today I noticed that it has put out a new cane! (My DH said that something that is 1 inch long and 1/16th of an inch wide cannot be called a "cane", but I ignored him.). Here is a pic:

I have a row of 35 of them winding through my front bed of ornamental grasses. I realized last year that everything was dead, although ornamentally dead, when there was no other color than the vibrant, three 'Firepower' I had planted. When they went on sale at Wal-Mart somewhere out in the wilds of Virginia, I ran out there and bought a ton. I wish I'd gotten more of them and the 'Domestica' which I'm using on the other side of the drive. The more sun, the better the color. I think they're beautiful and happy with them. The dwarf 'Harbor' are so far, a disappointment, as they didn't do color nor berries. We'll see this year! Christine

Congratulations on your new home! Thanks for posting a photo - it makes it easier to visualize. Do you have a photo that shows the whole width of the property so we can see how this fits in? Like Defrost, I'm just an average homeowner who gardens in my own yard. I think a plan like yours with a combination of woody and herbaceous plants helps give year-round interest. (And I'm impressed that you have mapped out a plan!) With your house style, which isn't formal and balanced, I wouldn't worry about balancing your garden. You've done well in making the bed relatively deep so that your plants don't look like a line along the house. Be sure you are starting your bed outside of where the drip line would be if you didn't have gutters. Otherwise you will find it hard to keep plants happy within the dry zone as they have a roof over them. If it were my house, with the visual weight of the upper story, I would want some plants that reach up some to balance that and to break up the strong horizontal line where the upper story steps out. On the far side of the door and farther out from the house (not in your bed unless you extend it to reach out) I probably would put a small tree that has year-round interest, but can be limbed up so as to not block your lower story windows, perhaps a Japanese maple, Stewartia, or pagoda dogwood. I'd put three shrubs, one on each corner and one on the left of the front door, but not one on the right of the door, unless it's a quite small shrub that will stay small. It's not as big a space so there really isn't room for much of a shrub without blocking light to the window to some extent, and you want the front door to be visible. You might want to consider one of the more restrained clematis on a narrow obelisk to give some height and bulk to that small space. A large pot planted with taller annuals or tender perennials would also work there. I like hdrangeas, Mt. Laurels, and rhodies to fill the role of larger shrubs, if they work for your growing conditions. Hydrangeas in winter are pretty homely, however, so I might put that at the far corner of the house if you want one so that it isn't as prominent when it's unattractive. Consider getting one that blooms over the course of the summer, since many are only spring bloomers and if you have a late frost, you've lost all flowers for the year. In choosing your specific varieties of shrubs, be aware that sizes are often given at what they will be after 10 years, after which they will continue to grow. Then, as your plan shows, fill in the bed with herbaceous plants. I have assumed that you have checked out your soil, sun and moisture, and have chosen your plants to suit that. I haven't grown most of your smaller plants so won't comment on those. One thing to consider if you haven't already is plant foliage. Since most perennials and shrubs only bloom for part of the year, think about whether the foliage on your plants have interesting and varied color, texture, shape, and size so that even when your plants aren't blooming there is something of interest in the garden. A good resource is Mindy (AKA arbo_retum) here on the New England forum. Her website, which has lots of great photos, is http://www.cottonarboretum.com/ As far as the overall layout, think about getting annuals for the first year or two to fill in some until your other plants get larger. I usually plant for that 10 year size or even a bit larger, and put in smaller fillers for the first few years. I probably would plant that grassy triangle as the walkway makes a natural ending/edging. From the photo, your front walk looks a bit narrow (could 2 people walk comfortably side by side?) so you may want to consider a plan to widen that in the long run if it's as narrow as it looks. Too ambitious? Really only you can answer that since you know your energy, finances, and time. It can be done in stages - prepare one bed, then plant it. Then start on the other bed. Or prepare both beds and plant your woody plants and then mulch well to prevent weeds and keep moisture even. (You'll want to do that regardless.) Plant your perennials in early fall when there are sales or even next year if you have run out of time, energy or finances this year. You will probably want to put an edger outside of your bricks to prevent to grass from growing in under them. Ultimately, if you decide you don't like the bed or something doesn't flourish there, you can always replant. Please keep us update with your progress.

IDK what sort of rose bush you have..but in the case of your cone flowers I might rethink what you plant. Cone flowers are not suitable for the sort of raised bed that seems to be where you are headed. They also typically not a foundation plant. They would be better in a LARGE island bed in your front yard. I think to achieve the look you want with pots they need to be larger and they need to be all the same. OR just one super large one with a bright color. Your bed is not large and with proper tools, patience and a lot of elbow grease you could get the roots and rocks removed, amend the entire bed and plant but it sounds like the trough type planters suggested above will work perfectly. I love that they are not wood. Wood planters are much more temporary. Sure it will be years --but they will rot from soil and water touching them. In the mean time I found when planting things in rocky soil small works well. Sometimes patience is what is most needed in poor planting conditions. One small hole with a single division is often manageable. Then you wait for the plant to find it's way, spread and fill in your space. I plant mostly in the shade and this area was on top of a rocky tile field. No way could I have planted a large anything! But small divisions from other areas around my home I did, and they managed to expand.